Two decades ago the average American hadn’t even heard of anime – much less watched it.

The Japanese art style slowly crept into mainstream culture through child-friendly Dragonball Z and Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoons, manga (graphic novels) and feature films such as Hayao Miyazaki’s 2001 release Spirited Away, which ranks in the top 10 highest-grossing traditionally animated films of all time.

Saboten Con 2015 celebrates the Robotech sci-fi franchise’s 30th anniversary with appearances by cast members including Dan Woren, Ellyn Stern and Tony Oliver, recently named as one of IMDB’s Top 20 Male Anime Voice Actors. The four-day event also features a masquerade, maid cafe, tabletop gaming and dozens of panels ranging from a mock anime parliament to Victorian hat-making workshops and tips for traveling Tokyo on the cheap.

About

Get your daily dose of culture with our curated picks of the best events and experiences in the Valley, from art and music to sports and the outdoors. Culture vultures can sign up for our Things to Do and VIP List newsletters for even more hip happenings.